Post for loose-leaf binders.



F. S. BETTS.

POST FOR LOOSE LEAF BINDERS.

APPucATloN FILED 001.14. 1914.

1,188,619. Patented May11,1915.

\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\vgi THE NORRIS PETERS CU.. PHOTO-LITHO.. WASHANGILJNA L ppi@ FARB-ON S. BETTS, OFv NEW YORK, N. Y.

POST FOR LOOSE-LEAF BINDERS.

Application filed October 14, 1914. Serial N o. 863,567.

To all 'whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, FARRoN S. Bn'r'rs, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Improved Postsvfor Loose-Leaf Binders, o-f which the following is a clear, full, and exact description.

This invention relates to an improvement in fastening devices for loose-leaf binders, the object being to provide such a device that is eflicient in operation and which can be cheaply manufactured. To obtain the desired end, I provide a fastening device composed of a few parts; pivotal points, that is to say, pivotal points involving pins and drilled holes, being eliminated.

I will now proceed to describe my improvement and point out the manner of obtaining the desired result, reference being had to the accompanying drawing herein, wherein:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary sectional view of a loose-leaf binder embodying my improvement; Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of the fastening device; Fig. 3 is an elevation of one of the fastener members; Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one end of one of the fastener elements, showing one manner of securing it to a binder member, Fig. 5 is a sectional plan view, the section being taken on a line 5-5 in Fig. 2; Fig. 6 is a fragmentary plan view of one end of a leaf or page for which my improvement is intended.

Referring to the drawing, a loose-leaf binder is indicated generally bythe numeral 1 and consists of the adjustable covers 2 and 3 which are faced inside and outside by cloth or paper as at 4, 4 and 5, 5. f

rIlhe removable leaves held bythe binder are indicated by 6, the-same being provided with openings 7 through which the fastening devices, indicated by 8, pass.

'Ihe fastening devices of which there are a number for each book, in this instance two, one only being shown, consisting of a plurality of telescoping tubular members 9 and 10, each of which are secured at one end thereof to a binder cover. In this instance the fastener member 9 is secured to the binder cover 3 and the fastener member 10 to the binder cover 4.

Any desirable means may befemployed to secure the covers and fastener member together, but for the sake of simplicity and specification of Letters Patent.

Patented nay i1, i915.

economy I prefer to provide each fastener member 9 and l0 with projections 11 that can be bent over as shown in Fig. 1. In this instance I have shown the members 9 and 10 as provided with four projections 11, but' more or less can be used. f

The function of the fasteners 8 is to hold the leaves 6 between the covers, as shown in Fig. 1 and to adjustably secure the covers together. Y. The leaves 6 are slipped over the fastener member 9 when the covers are separated or taken one away from the other. The fastener member 10 is then inserted into the fastener member 9 and pressed downwardly to the desired extent, depending upon the number of leaves 6 which are within or between the covers.

To prevent the covers from prematurely separating, I utilize a plunger 12 which actuates a locking lever 13 located at the lower end of the fastener element 10, the said lock being forced against the inner wall of the fastener member 9. A spring 14 also assists in the operating of the lock 13 as will hereinafter appear. As will be seen in Fig. 2, the plunger 12 consists of a tubular cap member 15 which extends into the fastener member 10 suiiiciently to insure perfect vertical movement. The cap member 15 carries a downwardly extending post 16 provided with an opening 17 to engage the lock 13 as shown. The spring 14 bears, at one end, against the cap member 15, and at the other end upon the lock 13.

As will be seen in Fig. 2 the fastener member 10 is provided with an opening 18 which constitutes a seat for theteat 19 of the lock 13. 'Ihe fastener member or plunger tube 10 is further provided with an opening 20 diametrically opposite the openingv or seat 18. The lock 13 extends through the opening 2O to engage the wall of the socket member 9 of the fastener. The lock 13 is provided with a tapered end which rests in contact with the edge 2l of the opening 20, the said edge acting as a fulcrum point.

As shown in Fig. 2, the fastener members 9 and 10 are locked. To unlock the members the plunger 12 will be pressed downwardly, which action will force the reduced end of the lock downwardly and the point 22 upwardly and away from the socket member 9. The downward movement of the plunger 12 will also compress the spring 14 for the reason that the downward movement of the plunger will be greater than the downward movement 23 of the lock 13 which acts as a seat for the spring 111. Under these conditions the `fastener members 9 and l0 can be pulled apart. When the fastener members 9 and 10 are to be connected to engage the wall of the socket member' 10.

The function of loose-leaf binders is too well known to need any further description of the use and manner of manipulation thereof.

WV hat I claim is:

1. A fastening device for loose-leaf binders, consisting of a tubular socket member, a tubular plunger member to slidably engage same, said plunger member being provided with openings, a lock carried by said plunger member, said lock consisting of a lever provided with a point to engage the inner wall of the socket member, said lever at one end thereof engaging one of the openings in said plunger member, the engaging point of said lever passing through the other opening in said plunger member, and means to actuate said lever.

2. A fastening device for loose-leaf binders consisting of a tubular socket member, a tubular plunger member to slidably engage same, said plunger member being provided with alining openings, a locking lever carried by said tubular plunger having a point to engage the wall of said socket member, said lever at one end thereof being in engagement with one of the openings in said plunger member, the point of said lever passing through the other opening in said plunger member, a plunger carried by said plunger member provided with an opening to engage said lever, and a spring seated at one end thereof against said lever and at the other end thereof lagainst the upper end of said plunger.

3. A fastening device for loose-leaf binders consisting of a plurality of Vadjustably connected tubular members adapted to slide one within the other, a lock carried by the inner member arranged to contact with the outer member, said lock consisting of a lever normally contacting at each end thereof with said inner member, said innermember being n provided with openings to receive said lever, and means to rock said lever upon one of its points of Contact with said inner tubular member.

4. A fastening device for loose-leaf binders consisting of a tubular socket member, a tubular plunger member provided with alining openings adapted to slidably engage said socket member, a locking lever loosely engaging one of the openings in said plunger member and passing through the other opening to engage the wall of the socket member, a plunger adapted for reciprocation in said tubular plunger member provided with an opening to engage said locking lever, and with a spring acting upon said lever.

5. A fastening device for loose-leaf binders consisting of a tubular socket member, a tubular plunger member provided with alining openings adapted to slidably engage said socket member, a locking lever loosely engaging one of the openings in said plunger member and passing through the other opening to engagethe wall of the socket member, said lever being provided with a tapered end contacting with one of the edges of the opening through which the end of said lever passes, said edge acting as a fulcrum point for said lever, a plunger adapted for reciprocation within said opening, said plunger consisting of a' hollow upper end and a rod projecting downwardly therefrom, said rod being provided withv an opening to engage said locking lever, and a spring having its upper end seated in the hollov.T upper end of said plunger, the lower end of said spring bearing upon said lever.

Signed at NewYork city, N. Y., this 13 day of October, one thousand nine hundred and fourteen.

ivi/innen s." BET-Ts.

Witnesses:

ROBERT RICHTER, FRED F. Wnrss.

copies of this patent may be obtained for ive cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. i 

